Tobacco product and method of conditioning same



Patented Jan. 12, 1937 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE TOBACCO PRODUCE AND METHOD OF CONDITIONING SAME Powder Company, ration of Delaware n, Del a corpo- No Drawing. Application September 5, 1934. Serial No. 742,858

16 Claim (Cl- 13131) This invention relates to the treatment of'tobacco and tobacco products for the purpose of improving the keeping qualities thereof. Thainvention is useful in any relation where tobacco is kept for any appreciable length of time, but is particularly intended for the preservation of desirable qualities of the smoking tobacco used in cigars, cigarettes and pipes, and chewing tobacco in the form of ribbons, or "scrap or plug tobacco.

1o Broadly stated, the invention resides in the use of sorbitol as a conditioning agent for tobacco. As this description proceeds, it will be seen that solutions or syrups of sorbitol are usually employed in the treatment of tobacco products upon a commercial scale. However,.solid sorbitol in the form of a powder or in any other suitable solid form may be mixed with the tobacco, and it is desired to recognize the possibility of using sorbitol in solid form when the conditions are such as to make it possible to do so.

Throughout the manufacture and storage of tobacco products, the control of the moisturev content is of special importance. If, in the manufacture of .tobacco products, the moisture content falls too low, the tobacco becomes brittle and forms dust. If, .on the other hand, the moisture content becomes too high, there is a tendency toward mold formation, or the creation of a soggy condition. Either condition is highly undesirable.

Furthermore; after tobacco produ ts leave the manufacturer, itis desired that the moisture content be maintained within proper limits. The tobacco should reach the consumer with such a 5 moisture content that it is neither dry nor brittle, nor yet so moist as to be in moldy or soggy condition,

To this end the manufacturer adds to the tobacco a conditioning agent calculated to main- 40 tain a proper moisture content of the product during fabrication and storage. The conditioning agen should contribute no unpleasant taste, should be non-toxic to the human system,

and its combustion products likewise should be 45 non-toxic.

It is' also the desire of the manufacturer to have his product so conditioned that when the package is opened and the tobacco exposed to atmospheres of widely varying humidities, the

50 moisture content will remain within the proper limits.

Glycerine has been used extensively as a "conditioning agen for tobacco. However, glycerine has certain disadvantages when used as a "con- 55 ditioning agent". Among these is the fact that when exposed to relatively high humidities, glycerine absorbsan excessive amount of moisture, while at relatively low humidities the moisture absorption is quite small. Consequently, tobacco "conditioned with glycerine varies markedly in 5 moisture content when subjected to atmospheres of varying humidities.

Furthermore, glycerine exhibits an appreciable vapor pressure at temperatures encountered during summer months with the result-that the 10 fconditioning agen itself evaporates from-the tobacco. Obviously this is a very; unsatisfactory state of aiiairs.

We have found that a solution or syrup of sorbitol is superior to glycerine as a conditioning 1 agent" for tobacco. It is a hydroscopic substance absorbing from atmospheres of low relative humidity approximately the same amount of moisture as, does glycerine. On ,the' other hand, at high relative humidities its moisture absorption 20 is much less than. that of glycerine, which fact surmounts the first, disadvantage mentioned above. The second disadvantage of 'glycerine as enumerated above is also overcome by the use of sorbitol solution in that the latter is completely 25 nonvolatile at-the highest temperatures encountered in the manufacture and storage of tobacco.

Furthermore. sorbitol fulillls' the other conditions set forth as required of a satisfactory "conditioning agen namely, that it imparts no una pleasant taste, either tothe smoke or to the extracted Juices. and neither sorbitol nor its combustion products are toxic to the human system. I

In carrying out our invention, we may apply the sorbitol to the tobacco in q eous solution or in a solution of other suitable liquid. We have found that crude sorbitol syrup, containing small quantities of ash;moistur'e, unreduced sugar, and I organic impurities, 'such as organic acids, etc 40 and which has been obtained by the electrolytic reduction or catalytic hydrogenation of glucose, invert sugar or the like, is equally suitable for this purpose as the purer forms of sorbitol. For certain purposes we may use'mixtures of sorbitol and glycerlne solutions, or mixtures of sorbitol solution, and any other known conditioning agen for tobacco. The sorbitol syrup, or solutions containing sorbitol, may be evenly distributed over the tobacco in the course of its processing. It may be mixed, added to, or dissolved in the usual "casing" or flavoring liquids which are sprayed upon or otherwise applied to the tobacco in the process of manufacture.

Itisobvioustothoseskilledintheartthatthe u amount of 'Y conditioning agent" required depends upon the type of tobacco being treated, a cigarette tobacco, for example, requiring less conditioning agent than chewing tobacco.

While we have described and contemplate the actual contacting of the described solutions with the tobacco, we wish tomake it clear that modifying the condition of tobacco by subjecting it to the influence of sorbitol in any manner is within such proportions as to modify the hygroscopic characteristics of the tobacco.

3. The herein described method of conditioning tobacco which comprises the application to the tobacco of a solution containing sorbitol and another conditioning agent in such proportions as to modify the hygroscopic characteristics of the tobacco. I

4. The herein described method of conditioning tobacco which comprises the application to the tobacco of a solution consisting of sorbitol and another conditioning agent in such proportions as to modify the hygroscopic characteristics of the tobacco.

5. A tobacco product having its hygroscopicity modified bythe action of sorbitol. 6. A tobacco product having its hygroscopicity modify the hygroscopic characteristics tobacco.

modified by the action of a solution containing sorbitol and another conditioning agent.

7. A conditioning liquid for tobacco comprising a casing or flavoring liquid, and sorbitol in such. proportions as to modify the. hygroscopic characteristics of the tobacco.

8. A conditioning liquid for tobacco comprising a syrup which includes a, flavoring liquid and sorbitol in such proportions as to modify the hygroscopic characteristics of the tobacco- 9. A tobacco product having applied thereto a mixture comprising sorbitol and glycerine'in 'such proportions as to modify the hygroscopic characteristics of the tobacco.

' 10. A tobacco product having applied thereto a mixture comprising sorbitol and glycerine and a-flavoring medium in such proportions "as to of ,the

11. A conditioning liquid for tobacco comprising a solution of sorbitol of such concentration as to modify the hygroscopic characteristics of the tobacco.

12. The method of preparing tobacco which comprises treating the tobacco with sorbitol.

13. A product comprisingtobacco and sorbitol. 14. The process of preparing tobacco which comprises treatingthe tobacco with sorbitol and another polyhydric alcohol.

15. A product comprising tobacco, sorbitol, and another polyhydric alcohol.

16. A product comprising in combination a body of tobacco, and sorbitol in such amount with respect to the volume of the tobacco as to maintain a materially increased moisture content of the tobacco.

KENNETH R. BROWN.

JAMES T. POWER. 

